China warned that cooperation between the four Quad member nations should not be used to target any third party [1].
The warning follows a meeting of foreign ministers from the U.S., India, Japan, and Australia in New Delhi on May 26, 2024 [2]. This tension highlights Beijing's view that the grouping is an exclusionary bloc designed to contain China's influence in the region [3].
Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said that cooperation between countries should not target any third party [4]. Beijing has consistently voiced its opposition to what it describes as bloc politics, a strategy it believes destabilizes regional security [3].
During the meeting in New Delhi, the Quad nations focused on regional stability and infrastructure. Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar said that the group needs to address connectivity choke points [5]. The discussions occurred as the four nations sought to strengthen ties in a volatile geopolitical climate [2].
In a collective statement, a Quad spokesperson said that the group opposes destabilising actions [6]. This stance contrasts with China's assertion that the Quad's own formation is a provocative act of containment [3].
Beijing maintains that regional cooperation should be inclusive rather than restrictive. The foreign ministry said that the current trajectory of the Quad undermines the spirit of multilateralism by creating narrow alliances [4].
“"Cooperation between countries should not target any third party."”
The friction between China and the Quad reflects a broader struggle for influence in the Indo-Pacific. By framing the Quad as a tool for 'bloc politics,' China attempts to delegitimize the security partnership as a Cold War-style relic, while the Quad members view their cooperation as a necessary hedge against unilateral regional dominance.
